Humidifier



April 6,1937. JLE. MYERS :2',o75,s 2

HUMIDIFIER Original Filed. Feb. 191 1934 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY5.

Patented A e s, 1937 UNITED STATES HUMIDIFIER James E. Myers, Whitefish Bay, Wis.

Application February 19, 1934, Serial No. 711,888 Renewed September 8, 1936 10 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the art of air conditioning, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of humidify g app 5 ratus for controlling the moisture within a room or other enclosure.

Generally defined, an object of the invention is to provide an improved humidifier which is simple in construction and which is, moreover, highly efficient in operation.

Some of the more specific objects of the invention are as follows:

To provide effective humidifying apparatus which is devoid of noisy movable parts, and

wherein the moisture carrying and distributing gas is propelled by natural draft alone.

To provide an improved air conditioner which is automatic in operation and which is adaptable to a wide range of uses.

To provide a compact, portable humidifying unit which may be readily transferred from place to place, and which may also be utilized as an article of furniture.

To provide a humidifier wherein the rapidity or the degree of humidification can be quickly varied as desired, and in which danger of escape of excess liquid is entirely eliminated.

To provide an air moistening device for rooms or other enclosures, which is of neat and pleasing app arance, and which may be manufactured and operated at minimum cost.

To provide improved liquid distribution structure for humidifying apparatus, which will automatically distribute particles of moisture across the path of .a stream of heated gas in a manner which will insure rapid absorption of the liqui and uniform distribution of the moisture.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed descrip- 0 tion.

A clear conception of the embodiments of the various features constituting the present improvement, and of the mode of constructing and of operating humidifiers built in accordance with the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying \and forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. l is a vertical section thru an improved humidifier, showing the general internal arrangement of the parts; s

Fig. 2 is a transverse horizontal section thru the improved humidifier, taken along the line "5 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a full front view of the improved humidifier, drawn to a somewhat smaller-scale;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section thru the upper portion of the humidifier, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, directly to the rear of the front grille;

and l Fig. 5 is a diagram of the water and heat control mechanism for varying the degree of humidification.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically applied to a portable unit for rooms, it is to be understood that some of the novel features are more generally applicable to fixed or permanently installed humidifiers and air conditioners, and that it is not intended to limit the invention to the portability of the apparatus.

With reference-to the drawing-the improved portable humidifier specifically shown therein by way of illustration comprises in general a main housing or casing 8 having therein a partition 9 forming an upwardly extending gas passage [0; one or more heaters H removably supported 'within the medial portion of the passage It; means for causing liquid such as water to percolate across the passage l0 above the heaters l5 and preferably near the outlet l2 thereof; and means for varying both the quantity of liquid and the degree of heating.

The main casing 8 may be formed of wood or metal, suitably decorated or finished to present a pleasing appearance, and is provided with supporting legs [3 for spacing the lower portion of the casing from the floor, and with a top cover I 4 for'permitting convenient access to the interior of the casing 8. The front of the casing 8 may be provided with a decorative grille I5 spanning the outlet l2 of the flue passage I I], and the lower interior of the main casing may also be provided with supporting bars I6 upon which the internal humidifying structure is removably mounted. The partition 9 which spans the interior of the casing 8 from side to side, is attached to side plates or frames l1 and is curved adjacent the outlet l2 for the dual purpose of changing the direction of flow of the gas thru the passage Hi from vertical to horizontal, and of reflecting the heat rays from the heaters ll so as to insure most effective distribution thereof thru-out the supporting frames are lifted out of the main casing 8. The energizing switch 2| for the heaters ll maybe disposed near the upper side portion 5 of the casing 8 near the cover and is of such construction that either one or both heaters may be energized, depending upon the degree of heating desired. While electric heaters of a specific type have been shown, any other form of heating medium may be substituted. It is also to be noted that these heaters are disposed within the passage l0 above the inlet 22 of the passage l0, and this inlet 22 is in open communication with the ambient atmosphere thru the spaces afforded by the supporting legs l3 of the main casing 8.

The means for causing the liquid topercolate across the passage l8 near the outlet I2, is of importance and should produce uniform and automatic distribution of the liquid in film-like form over the entire outlet. This liquid distributing means comprises a supply tank 23' carried by the upper ends of the side frames l'l directly beneath the cover [4; a drip catch or reservoir 24 disposed in front of the passage I 0 near, the

25 lower ends of the frames l1; and a screen 25 CO1? rugated to provide a series of transverse liquid distributors resembling a louver spanning the outlet l2 directly in back of the casing grille IS. The supply tank 23 has a filling plug 26 and a 30 discharge valve 21 which is adapted to regulate the flow of liquid to a distributing header 28 disposed below the tank and above the distributing screen 25. The header 28 extends across the interior of the casing 8 and has a series of upper liquid discharge openings within each of which a wick 29 is disposed, the inner ends of these wicks extending in close proximity to the'header bottom and the outer ends thereof being disposed exteriorly of the header 28 and preferably hanging alongside of the same so as to cause the es- 'caping liquid to flow by capillary attraction and 5 in uniform fine streams upon the upper portion of the screen 25. .While this delivery of liquid from within the header 28 is effected primarily 29, and this casing serves to conduct the streams of liquid upon the upper distributor of the screen 25. Each of the superimposed substantially hori-' zontal distributors is formed as a trough-like strip of screening having substantially v-shaped transverse cross-section, and a porous strip or wick 3! of asbestos or the like also having substantially V-shaped transverse cross-section, disposed within the V-shaped screen trough. The liquid delivered into the upper trough-like distributor of the screen 25 by the wicks 29, percolates thru the wick 3| and the perforated support therefor and gravitates alongthe intervening inclined screen portion to the next lower distributor, and

so on, until the entire louver is saturated and is by the head of liquid within the tank 23, the wicks 29 will tend to equalize the flow thru the several outlets and will also prevent clogging of theseoutlets. A guiding casing 38 is disposedinear the} header 28 and provides a housing for the wicks;-

mitting access to the heating units when these as perfume, or a sterilizing liquid, or a medicinal fluid, may also be utilized.

The means for varying the quantity of liquid and the degree of,heating so as to change the rate and extent of humidification may partake various forms, but as shown herein, this control means comprises the switch 2| and the regulating valve 21. 2| is operable to energize one or more of the heaters H, and the valve 21 is operable to vary the quantity of liquid delivered from the tank 28 to the header 28. By connecting the levers for actuating these control elements as shown in the diagram, or by utilizing a common control lever in an obvious manner, the quantity of liquid thus delivered from the tank 23 to the distributing structure can obviously be varied in accordance with the degree of heating. If all of the heaters II are effective, maximum delivery of liquid will be effected, and the quantity of liquid will be reduced as the heaters are cut out. When all of. the heaters are off, the liquid supply will also be shut off, thus enabling simultaneous control of the heat and liquid. The electric wiring may be confined in conduit as shown, and may be pro vided with an ordinary plug connector.

The operation of the improved humidifying unit should be readily apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the structure, and when the heaters II are in-operation, the air circulates rapidly thru the flue formed by the passage lll. As the air flows past the heaters II, it is thoroughly heated and is subsequently projected by the curved upper end of the partition 9, thru the liquid soaked screen 25 spanning the outlet l2, thus absorbing the moisture and producing rapid humidification. If it isdesired to vary the quantity of liquid deposited upon the screen 25, without affecting the degree of heating,

the valve 21 may be adjusted to cause more or liquid to flow from the tank 23, and fresh liquid- 'can readily be supplied to this tank by removing the filling plug 28. If it is desired to cut -out one of the heaters l I, this may readily be done by merely adjusting the switch 2| in an obvious manner, thus permitting both the degree of heating and the quantity of moisture to be varied either simultaneously or independently if desired. Any excess liquid delivered from the lower end of the screen 25 will accumulate in the reservoir 21 and may be drawn oif thru the drain 32, and the tank 23 may likewise be drained thru the drain pipe 33.

It will also be observed that the casing 8 provides an effective article of furniture, and the humidifying mechanism may be conveniently re- "moved from the casing 8 merely by opening the cover H. The heaters II are insertable and removablmthru the opening 29 in one of the side frames II, and practically the entire structure may be formed of sheet metal and of standard piping and other equipment. The structure, besides being compact, may be readily moved from place to place as desired, and does not embody any moving parts such as motors and fans which tend to create undesirable noises.

While the humidifying structure has been illustrated as being applied to a portable unit, it

will be apparent that this structure may also be applied to permanent piping, such as a hot air heating system. The formation of the liquid As previously indicated, the switch liquid along the louver screen 25. The entire structure is obviously simple and can be manufactured and sold at minimum cost.

It should be understood that ltis not desired to i limit the invention to the exact details of construction and to the precise mode of operation herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, means forming a gas passage, a series of porous troughs extending across said passage, a liquid header having a series of openings disposed above an upper one of said troughs, wicks in said openings for conducting liquid thru said openings to said upper trough, and means for conducting excess liquid from the upper trough to the troughs below.

2. In combination, means forming a substantially vertical gas passage having a laterally directed upper outlet, a series of superimposed porous troughs spanning said outlet and each comprising a screen and a porous lining therefor, a liquid header having a series of openings disposed above the upper of said troughs, and means 0 operating by capillary attraction to conduct liquid from said openings to said upper trough.

3. In combination, a casing forming a substantially vertical gas passage having a laterally directed upper outlet, means for heating gas flow.- ing through said passage in advance of said outlet, a series of superimposed porous troughs spanning said outlet, said troughs comprising metal screen lined with porous material and being disposed so as to cause the air flowing through said 0 outlet to travel over said porous material, and

means for effecting uniform distribution and delivery of liquid into the upper of said troughsthroughout its entire length.

'4. In combination, a. casing forming an up- 16 wardly directed gas passage having a laterally directed upper outlet, a series of superimposed troughs completely spanning said outlet, each of said troughs comprising an elongated substantially horizontal downwardly concave screen having therein a porous lining and the successive troughs being disposed closely adjacent to each other, and means for delivering liquid in regulated quantities into the. upper of said troughs throughout its entire length.

55 5. In combination, a casing forming an upwardly directed gas passage having a laterally directed upper outlet, a series of closely adjacent superimposed troughs spanning said outlet, each of said troughs comprising an elongated screen of 60 V-shaped transverse cross-section and a porous lining removably confined therein, and means for delivering liquid to the lining of said upper trough throughout the entire length thereof.

6. In combination, a casing forming an up- 65 wardly directed gas passage having a laterally directed upper outlet, a series of closely adjacent superimposed troughs spanning said outlet, each of said troughs comprising an elongated screen of V-shaped transverse cross-section and a porous lining removably confined therein, means for delivering liquid to the lining of said upper trough throughout the entire length thereof, and heating means disposed within said passage in advance of said outlet, said heating means being removable without removing said troughs from said casing.

'7. In combination, a casing having therein an upwardly directed gas passage provided with a laterally directed upper outlet, a series of superimposed troughs spanning said outlet, each of said troughs comprising an elongated substantially horizontal V-shaped screen and a porous lining confined within said screen, a liquid header disposed above the upper of said troughs and having a series of openings disposed along said. trough, andwick means' for conducting liquid from said openings to the lining of said upper trough.

8. In combination, a casing having therein an upwardly directed gas passage provided with a laterally directed upper outlet, a series of superimposed troughs spanning said outlet, each of said troughs comprising an elongated substantially horizontal V-shaped screen and a porous lining confined within said'screen, a liquid reservoir carried by said casing above said passage, a liquid header communicating with said reservoir and having a series of openings disposed along the upper oi. said troughs, and means op erating by capillary attraction to conduct liquid from said openings to the lining of said upper trough.

9. In combination, a portable casing forming an upwardly directed gas passage provided with a laterally directed upper outlet in a side wall of said casing, a series of superimposed porous troughs carried by said casing and spanning said outlet and each comprising a screen and a porous lining therefor, a liquid reservoir confined within said casing above said passage, a liquidheader communicating with said reservoir and having a series of openings disposed along and above the upper of said troughs, and means for con: ducting liquid from said openings to the upper of said troughs.

10. In combination, a portable casing forming an upwardly directed gas passage provided with a laterally directed upper outlet in a side wall of said casing, a series of superimposed porous troughs carried by said casing and spanning said outlet and each comprising a screen and a porous lining therefor, a liquid reservoir confined within said casing above said passage, a liquid head-' er communicating with said reservoir and'having a series of openings disposed along and above the upper or said troughs, means for conducting liquid from said openings to the upper of said troughs, and-means within said casing below the lower of said troughs for collecting excess liquid dropping from said troughs.

JAMES E. MYERS. 

